The Panner Collection
KNEBEL F. SZOMBATHELY 1860-1900
Portrait of an unknown matron by Knebel Ferenc Sr. (1835-1911) in Szombathely.Hungary. (active 1860-1900) Circa 1869. Knébel Ferenc originally trained as a pharmacist, but later transitioned fully into photography—a well-recognized profession by the 1860s .Considered a key figure in the Knébel family photography dynasty, with his son Jenő and granddaughter Riza carrying on the profession.Specialized in high-quality portrait photography, the “dunántúli” (Transdanubian) region’s top practitioners included him among their ranks. His studio operated from Óperint utca 16 in Szombathely, and the firm later advertised with ornate monograms (e.g. "Knébel Ferenc Szombathely, Ó‑Perint 16 sz."). Won numerous awards at home and abroad: exhibited in London, Munich, Vienna, Paris, even receiving honors at the Chicago World’s Fair for his genre photography . From 1874 he also supplied and sold dry photographic plates, indicating involvement in early photographic manufacturing and distribution in Hungary. Knébel Ferenc helped shape the professional studio tradition in provincial Hungary. His work bridges early itinerant photographers and more established urban practices. The surviving cartes-de-visite are valued today both for social history and period aesthetic. He was also active in camera material innovation, selling dry plates locally in the late 19th century.
KNEBEL F. SZOMBATHELY 1860-1900
Portrait of an unknown matron by Knebel Ferenc Sr. (1835-1911) in Szombathely.Hungary. (active 1860-1900) Circa 1869. Knébel Ferenc originally trained as a pharmacist, but later transitioned fully into photography—a well-recognized profession by the 1860s .Considered a key figure in the Knébel family photography dynasty, with his son Jenő and granddaughter Riza carrying on the profession.Specialized in high-quality portrait photography, the “dunántúli” (Transdanubian) region’s top practitioners included him among their ranks. His studio operated from Óperint utca 16 in Szombathely, and the firm later advertised with ornate monograms (e.g. "Knébel Ferenc Szombathely, Ó‑Perint 16 sz."). Won numerous awards at home and abroad: exhibited in London, Munich, Vienna, Paris, even receiving honors at the Chicago World’s Fair for his genre photography . From 1874 he also supplied and sold dry photographic plates, indicating involvement in early photographic manufacturing and distribution in Hungary. Knébel Ferenc helped shape the professional studio tradition in provincial Hungary. His work bridges early itinerant photographers and more established urban practices. The surviving cartes-de-visite are valued today both for social history and period aesthetic. He was also active in camera material innovation, selling dry plates locally in the late 19th century.